Vegetarian Atlas

Vegetarian Stew

What I've Learned So Far

Sometimes recipes are wrong (yep, even this one for vegetarian stew may be wrong). Every stove and oven are different, so some cook faster or slower, get hotter, or just don't give you the results you've expected. For example, I have a gas stove and it gets really hot so I often have to use medium-low or low settings even when a recipe calls for something hotter. I've burned too many meals to be a slave to a recipe!

And if you're making a soup, stew, or anything with liquid, keep in mind that putting a lid on the pan will preserve a lot of the liquid, build up heat inside the pan, and add a steam component to what you're cooking. So if you're ever making something that starts to boil dry, you can add more liquid and then cover the pot. In my opinion, the only "right" way to cook is to make delicious healthy food that you enjoy eating!

The Recipe

You'll Need:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 10 small frozen pearl onions, thawed

• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (approx. 2/3 C)

• 1 Tbsp flour

• 4 oz. seitan, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 2 slices smoky tempeh bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

• 1 C stout beer

• 2 C vegetable broth

• 2 medium russet potatoes, diced

• 1/2 C frozen shelled edamame

Do This:

1. Heal oil in saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion and carrot, and cook 5 minutes.
3. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes more.
4. Add seitan, tempeh bacon, garlic and thyme and cook 2 minutes.
5. Pour in beer and bring mixture to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, stirring and scraping any bits that may be stuck to the bottom.
6. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a simmer.
7. Reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes.
8. Add edamame and cook 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Recipe Notes

• I generally peel my potatoes for this, but you wouldn't have to - just scrub 'em up good if you want to leave the skin.

• You can experiment with different potato substitutions, e.g., use butternut squash instead of potatoes, or try sweet potatoes.
• This can get really thick depending on how you cook it - if you like it a little thinner, cover the pot while it's simmering so the liquid doesn't all boil off.